[14 January 2010 – Hong Kong] World renowned Chinese pianist Yundi Li will return to Hong Kong in February to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Chopin. Under the baton of Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Edo de Waart, Yundi will perform Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.1 in “Yundi Li & the HKPO” on 5 & 6 February (Fri and Sat) at 8pm at HK Cultural Centre Concert Hall. “Yundi Li & the HKPO” is sponsored by Bank of China (Hong Kong). The two concerts will be followed by “Yundi Li in Recital”, sponsored by Shun Hing Group, to be held on 8 February (Mon) at 8pm at HK Cultural Centre Concert Hal. Only limited tickets left.

A Spiritual Affinity to Chopin
Internationally acclaimed pianist Yundi Li is the youngest winner of the prestigious International Chopin Competition and the first pianist in 15 years to be awarded the coveted prize as well as the first Chinese winner. Yundi astonished the world with his fluidity on the keys and his masterful interpretation of Chopin, his best loved composer. He allured audiences with his American début of Chopin’s Concerto No.1, performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2003. Yundi subsequently commenced his world tour, in the most prestigious venues and in collaboration with the world’s most esteemed maestri. These include concerts with orchestras such as the Philadelphia Orchestra under Wolfgang Sawallisch, Cincinnati Symphony under Paavo Järvi, and the Orchestre National de France under Kurt Masur. In 2007, as the first Chinese musician to collaborate with the Berlin Philharmonic, Yundi joined forces with Maestro Seiji Ozawa to record Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto and Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, winning the ultimate accolade as one of The New York Times Recording of the Year 2007.

2010 is a big year for both Chopin and Yundi Li. The world is celebrating the 200th Anniversary of Chopin while Yundi commemorates his 10th year anniversary to the victory in the 14th International Chopin Piano Competition.
Yundi played a great number of Chopin’s solo pieces, yet he did not encounter Chopin’s Piano Concerto No.1 until his preparation for the Chopin Competition. “It’s a piece that is very close to my heart.” Yundi said. In the concert, Yundi will be playing the piece that led him to the international stage and will share his endless passion for Chopin with the audiences. Following the concerto concerts, Yundi will also give an all-Chopin recital.

A Celebration of Chopin’s 200th Anniversary
Frederic Chopin was born in Żelazowa Wola, a little village near Warsaw, in 1810. Piano is inseparable from Chopin. Chopin’s structural innovations and harmonic ingenuity had a significant influence on most subsequent composers for the instrument. The 200th anniversary of the birth of Chopin will be celebrated in 2010 worldwide. In Chopin’s homeland Poland, 2010 was named the “Chopin Year” and the Warsaw National Philharmonic is presenting a cycle of 20 concerts while the Frederic Chopin Society in Warsaw is organizing the series 200 Concerts for the 200th Birthday.
Maestro Edo de Waart [Full biography], Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the HKPO, had a very hectic fall schedule. Taking up the music directorship of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in late September, he stepped in for the ailing Metropolitan Opera Music Director James Levine, to conduct Der Rosenkavalier on 13, 16 and 19 October, with Renée Fleming as Marschallin and Susan Graham as Octavian. All three performances garnered great critical acclaims. In last December, Maestro de Waart conducted the season’s highlight, Mahler’s The Song of the Earth on his triumphant return after two major US performances this fall. The collaboration of Maestro de Waart and Yundi Li in February will definitely be a highly anticipated event for music lovers.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) is one of Asia’s leading orchestras. Enriching Hong Kong’s cultural life for over a century, the Orchestra has grown into a formidable ensemble of Chinese and international talents in the last three decades, attracting world-class artists to perform on the same stage. HKPO annually touches the lives of 200,000 music lovers through more than 150 performances including its extensive education activities for children and adults alike, and free concerts such as the popular Swire Symphony Under the Stars, and regular broadcasts and telecasts. Outside of Hong Kong, HKPO has made a number of successful tours in Asia and Europe including a major six-concert tour of China in the 08/09 season under the leadership of Maestro Edo de Waart, drawing great critical acclaims. [Full Biography]

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
SWIRE is the Principal Patron of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.